Stonewall names Pinsents the most gay-friendly firm in UK
Stonewall named Pinsent Masons the most improved employer in the UK, an award that recognises the progress the firm has made in pursuing greater inclusivity in 2007.
Pinsent Masons is the most gay-friendly law firm in the UK, a survey by gay rights group Stonewall has found.
Pinsents came 67th of the UK's 100 most gay-friendly employers, Stonewall concluded in its 2008 Workplace Equality Index, in which
240 employers were scored by their gay or lesbian employees.
Pinsent Masons human resources director Jonathan Bond said: "We feel a great sense of pride and accomplishment that we're the first law firm to be recognised as one of the top 100 gay-friendly employers.
"We'd not have been able to come this far without the support provided by Stonewall's Diversity Champions programme."
Scoring criteria include implementation of equality policies, the demonstration of good practice in recruitment and mentoring, and engagement with gay staff and service users.
Pinsents also claimed the "Most Improved" award, which recognises the progress the firm has made in pursuing greater inclusivity in 2007.
The firm is one of 18 law firms signed up to Stonewall's Diversity Champions programme, a good practice forum in which employers can work with Stonewall and other members to promote gay equality in the workplace. Other organisations to join the programme recently include Allen & Overy.
Law firms overall have continued to make improvements on last year's results, the report found, with the sector's average score increasing almost 15 per cent.
Stonewall chief executive Ben Summerskill said: "Any of the 1.7 million lesbian and gay people in the UK workforce now use the index to see how their employer compares with others. We're delighted to help them in their choice of workplace."
National crime reduction charity Nacro was the UK's most gay-friendly employer, followed by the Greater London Assembly in second place, and Hampshire and Staffordshire police forces in joint third.
